Richie Kotzen recently released his hard driving new single, “Cheap Shots”. In a new interview with Total Guitar, Kotzen discusses the new track.

Asked how "Cheap Shots" came about, Richie answers, "This one was funny because I was playing some ideas for my wife and I said, ‘I’m not sure what I’m going to sing.’ As I was playing, I heard a melody, and I just started singing. I said to her, ‘Don’t be offended, but you’ve got to get out of here because I don’t want to forget this!’”

Regarding his upcoming full-length album, Kotzen reveals: "I’m using the title Nomad. Compared to my previous work, there’s a lot of stuff on here where I’m soloing with a very clean tone, which is very specific for guitar. I don’t know if it’s my age, but I’m enjoying less distortion and more clear tones where you can hear the roundness of the notes."

Read more at Total Guitar.

The video for "Cheap Shots" was directed and choreographed by Emmy Award winner Jeff Wolfe and, like the single, pulls no punches and delivers knockout hooks throughout.

“The video was directed by my good friend Jeff Wolfe who had a visual concept after hearing the song,” explains Kotzen. “In addition to being a talented director he is also an accomplished actor and stuntman, so he had the eye for bringing those boxing scenes together. Although the song isn’t about boxing per se,” Kotzen continues, “I thought it was a good visual to go along with the idea of someone constantly taking what we may call ‘cheap shots’ in order to bring you down.”

Stream/download "Cheap Shots" here, and watch the official music video, as well as a lyric video, below:

Kotzen recently announced US tour dates for this fall. His 2024 US solo tour kicks off on September 13 at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, taking him across the country throughout September and October, ending on November 2 in Dallas, TX at the Granada Theater.

“I’m very much looking forward to playing Cheap Shots live with my band,” says Richie. “We’ve got a long string of dates kicking off in Montclair California this weekend with our Los Angeles area show on Saturday at the Canyon in Agoura. From there I go off to Europe for all of June and a bit of July. Following those dates, I’m going to be doing an extensive USA run starting this September and by then my new studio album will be released so this is turning out to be a very active year for me.”

Full tour dates are below. Tickets and VIP package links here.

July
4 - Durer Kert - Budapest, Hungary
6 - Metal Park Festival - Vicenza, Italy
7 - Dynamo - Zurich, Switzerland
10 - Limelight - Belfast, Northern Ireland
11 - Opium - Dublin, Ireland
13 - Islington Assembly Hall - London, UK

September
13 - The Coach House - San Juan Capistrano, CA
14 - Whisky a Go Go - West Hollywood, CA
19 - Goldfield Trading Post - Roseville, CA
20 - Tower Theatre - Fresno, CA
21 - Count's Vamp'd - Las Vegas, NV
25 - The Black Sheep - Colorado Springs, CO
26 - HQ Live Denver - Denver, CO
27 - Barnato - Omaha, NE
28 - Knuckleheads Saloon - Kansas City, MO
30 - City Winery St. Louis - St. Louis, MO

October
2 - The Blue Note - Harrison, OH
4 - The Magic Bag - Ferndale, MI
5 - The Arcada Theatre - St. Charles, IL
7 - Jergels - Warrendale, PA
9 - The Ridgefield Playhouse - Ridgefield, CT
10 - Iridium - New York,, NY
11 - Iridium - New York, NY
12 - Iridium - New York, NY
15 - City Winery Boston - Boston, MA
17 - Tupelo Music Hall - Derry, NH
20 - The Suffolk Theater - Riverhead, NY
22 - Rams Head on Stage - Annapolis, MD
23 - Sellersville Theater - Sellersville, PA
24 - The Beacon Theatre - Hopewell, VA
25 - Backseat Bar & Grill - Winchester, VA
29 - City Winery Atlanta - Atlanta, GA
30 - City Winery Nashville - Nashville, TN

November
1 - The Haute Spot - Leander, TX
2 - Granada Theater - Dallas, TX

(Photo - Travis Shinn)